


Drink You Away

by Mad_Hatter_Usagi



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Grantaire's a Great Singer, Huge Idiots, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Karaoke, M/M, Songfic, they're idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-11
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-02-04 07:52:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1771432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mad_Hatter_Usagi/pseuds/Mad_Hatter_Usagi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After drunkenly sleeping together, things are strained between Enjolras and Grantaire. They just won't talk about it, and the fighting is worse than usual. The other Amis try to help them relax with a night out for karaoke. </p>
<p>Drink You Away-Justin Timberlake</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drink You Away

It was all Courfeyrac's idea, as most of these kinds of situations are.

The meeting earlier had featured a particularly brutal argument between their resident cynical drunk and righteous leader. They couldn't even remember what they had begun arguing about, but had ended up slinging insults across the room at each other. Grantaire had been called "useless" and an "impediment" to their cause. Enjolras was deemed "heartless" and "foolish" for thinking he could ever accomplish his ideal world. Neither of them meant what they said, the cruel words just came out when they couldn't think of what to say next in a debate.

A week before the argument Enjolras had fallen into bed with Grantaire after a drunken night. The leader had left the next morning before Grantaire had woken up. They hadn't talked about it, and soon the subject was taboo between them. It was a secret that kept them sending each other glances when the other wasn't looking. Neither knew what it meant, and were afraid to test anything between them. Privately, Enjolras was scared that he was only just another warm body that frequented the artist's bed, like the others he'd heard about; Grantaire was just as afraid that Enjolras was revolted to have slept with him, that Enjolras truly did see him as a hindrance. In actuality the two of them were pining terribly for each other.

Once the harsh waters had calmed and Grantaire had slumped in his back booth and Enjolras had retreated to his seat, the meeting had sort of dissolved. Courfeyrac, who was trying to lighten the heavy mood, suggested that they go out for karaoke. Of course everyone agreed, and the two sulking men were tugged along, kept separated by their friends. Grantaire slouched more than usual as he trudged along with Joly and Bossuet, while Enjolras pointedly glared at the ground as he was steered a few blocks down the street to the karaoke bar.

Grantaire settled himself in a booth in the back corner, his feet up on the bench seat. Already a bottle sat in front of him, his paint-stained fingers fiddling with the brown glass neck. Enjolras sat near the small stage; Feuilly and Combeferre sat around him. The rest of Les Amis dropped into seats somewhere between them, planning what food and drinks to buy, what order they were singing in, and which songs.

The night was pretty normal, but definitely more entertaining as they grew more intoxicated. Enjolras nursed only his second beer even as a completely smashed Bahorel was finishing his rousing rendition of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper. Joly and Bossuet had sung a duet of "Love is an Open Door" from Frozen. Courfeyrac was absolutely trashed when he sang "Toxic" by Britney Spears. Nearly everyone had taken a turn (or three), even Enjolras (with "Some Nights" by FUN), except Grantaire.

Eventually, Jehan had plunked down on the bench across the table from Grantaire and demanded that the artist sing. "Come on, 'Taire. Everyone else went."

"Fine," he mumbled, skimming the song lists briefly before sliding out of the booth. He informed the attendant of the song he'd chosen and hopped onto the stage. The song began as Grantaire gave a short nod to the tired looking attendant.

After the brief opening guitar chords, Grantaire began singing. His eyes slid shut as his right hand cupped the mic and his left gripped the stand. His voice was surprisingly good, though husky from alcohol and yelling.

" _Bittersweet thing, could this be a dream?_  
 _Or just the same nightmare that keeps me awake?_  
 _Feel it in my brain, tall shot of pain,_  
 _Pour a little out now for the love that we made_

_I feel it in the morning, you're still here in the morning_  
 _I see you, but you're gon' telephone the doctor, I'm not okay_  
 _The bottom of the bottle, to fill this empty heart up._  
 _A thousand proof don't change the truth_  
 _I tried it, but I can't_ "

Grantaire's eyes snapped open, scanning his meager audience. The two blue-gray irises landed on his blond tormentor, and a thick, dark eyebrow raised playfully.

" _I can't drink you away_  
 _I've tried Jack, I've tried Jim,_  
 _I've tried all of their friends_  
 _But I can't drink you away_  
 _All these rocks, I can't swim out of this skin I'm living in,_  
 _Say, now tell me, baby, don't they make a medicine for heart break_  
 _Ooh, no, tell me baby, oh yeah_  
 _Now don't they make a medicine for heart break_

_Got a pounding on my brain, so I drowned it away_  
 _When the sun comes up tomorrow_  
 _You can find me doing the same_  
 _'Cause I just can't forget_  
 _The way we turned out this bed_  
 _And now the only thing that sleeps here is a ghost of you instead_ "

The artist's eyes shut once again, his hands tightening around the microphone and stand. Enjolras couldn't decide whether he wanted to rush on stage and kiss the singer, or wait until the song was over and talk things over with him. His rationality won out, mostly because no matter how devastating the lyrics were to him, the voice that was delivering them was heavenly. Enjolras's talents with song were passable at best.

" _And I feel it in the morning, you're still here in the morning_  
 _I see you, but you're gon' telephone the doctor, I'm not okay_  
 _The bottom of the bottle, to fill this empty heart up_  
 _A thousand proof don't change the truth_  
 _I tried it, but I can't_

_I can't drink you away_   
_I've tried Jack, I've tried Jim_   
_I've tried all of their friends_   
_But I can't drink you away, no I can't,_   
_All these rocks, I can't swim out of this skin I'm living in_   
_Say, now tell me, baby, don't they make a medicine for heart break_   
_Ooh, no, tell me baby, one time, come on_   
_Don't they make a medicine for heart break_   
_Break it down_

_I can't drink you, no I can't drink you away, away_   
_I can't drink you, no I can't drink you away, away_   
_I can't drink you, no I can't drink you away, away_   
_I can't drink you, no I can't drink you away, away, away_   
_Oooh, I can't drink you, I can't drink you away_

_I can't drink you away_   
_I've tried Jack, I've tried Jim_   
_I've tried all of their friends_   
_But I can't drink you away_   
_All these rocks, I can't swim out of this skin I'm living in_   
_Say, now tell me, baby, don't they make a medicine for heart break_   
_Ooh, no, tell me baby, oh yeah_   
_Now don't they make a medicine for heart break_

_I can't drink you away_  
 _I've tried Jack, I've tried Jim_  
 _I've tried all of their friends_  
 _But I can't drink you away_  
 _All these rocks, I can't swim out of this skin I'm living in_  
 _Say, now tell me, baby, don't they make a medicine for heart break_  
 _Ooh, no, tell me baby, oh yeah_  
 _Now don't they make a medicine for heart break_ "

Grantaire stepped away from the mic and opened his eyes. He exhaled and walked off stage, retreating back to his corner as his friends cheered and slapped him on the back. Several performances later, Enjolras snuck over to the dark-haired man's booth and sat across from him.

"Yes, my dear leader?" Grantaire prompted sarcastically, trying to hide his nervousness.

"I'm sorry." 

Those two little words hit the artist like Zeus's lightning bolt. His entire world shut down with disappointment. Obviously, Enjolras was apologizing for getting his hopes up and ruining his life the past few weeks. He was apologizing for sleeping with Grantaire in the first place. And it hurt.

After receiving only silence, the blond continued, "I'm sorry that I've been an asshole. I was just really nervous that you only slept with me because you were drunk and horny. I didn't think you, amazing Grantaire, would ever have feelings for me, like I do for you."

Grantaire's world stood still as those words sunk through the crippling pain. Enjolras shared his feelings. He felt the same. Oh god. A quiet sob escaped from deep inside the artist, surprising the revolutionary. "Oh my god, is this real? You really didn't realize that I've been pining over you for ages?"

Grantaire asked. Enjolras gaped as he said, "No, I really didn't. I usually see these things sooner, especially from people I consider friends."

"You are incredibly oblivious, Apollo."

"Don't call me-"

"Kiss me," Grantaire demanded before Enjolras worked himself into a tizzy over the hated nickname; he leaned almost halfway across the small table. The blond smiled (managing to be both wry and fond) and closed the distance, locking their lips together in a chaste, but passionate, kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Whenever I hear this song, I think of Grantaire pining.   
> Drink You Away-Justin Timberlake
> 
> My URL is loser-angel.tumblr.com


End file.
